Centrifugal radial drainages and their geological significance in southern Kerala, India

Abstract

The drainage fabric is the reflection of the surface and sub-surface geological systems and processes of the Earth. In this context, the State of Kerala, has prolific network of drainages due to the unique physiographic conditions and it was studied to map the drainage fabric and the anomalies using IRS FCC wrapped DEM of SRTM data of the Southern parts of Kerala. The study revealed the occurrence of larger centrifugal radial drainages conspicuously in a number of places. Such drainages seem to indicate the phenomenon of doming due to the still prevalent northerly directed compressive force related to the post collision tectonics and the east north easterly compressive force due to the rising of the Carlsberg ridge in the Arabian Sea. These both forces in combination might have resulted in the phenomenon of simultaneous cross folding leading to the formation of the domes. The active tectonics have serious implications on the natural disasters in general and the tectonically vibrant Kerala State in particular, therefore the drainage anomalies of Kerala warrant demanding studies.